Word to the Wise
Thursday, April 16, 2009 - Thursday in the Octave of Easter
[Acts 3:11-26 and Luke 24:35-48]As the crippled man who had been cured clung to Peter and John, all the people hurried in amazement toward them......When Peter saw this, he addressed the people, "You children of Israel, why are you amazed at this and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety?....."
It must have been quite a scene! The cured cripple is hanging on to the two disciples and no doubt making a lot of noise about his healing! Now a crowd gathers and gawks! Of course, Peter can't pass up an opportunity like that! So, we are given a sample of the early preaching to a Jewish audience! However, the audience is more than Jewish now. It includes all of us today! It would be worthwhile to find your New Testament or daily misalet and read the whole address. The fundamental message is called by scholars, the "kerygma," from a Greek word meaning "proclamation." Everything the crowd is seeing comes from God who sent his Son who was executed by the Romans and Jewish religious authorities in Jerusalem, but God raised up Jesus, all in accordance with what the prophets foretold, and he has sent Peter and John and others as witnesses to his resurrection so that all may repent! That's the message in its basic form. The Church will be reading the Acts of the Apostles for the next couple of weeks or so and we can see how the message develops. While doing that, we should remember that this is not just ancient history, it is present preaching and we need to listen. AMEN ************************************************************************************************ Note to the Beloved Congregation. On Thursday, April 16, I will be having surgery to remove my gall bladder!!! So, I'm going to send several WTTW homilies in advance. Pray that the surgery will be routine and that I will be back at my computer as soon as possible. Many thanks! Fr. R. B. Williams, OP
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